


One Summer Afternoon

by Sillypennie4



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Armitage Hux is a Jerk, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben and Rey grow up together, Ben is 17, Complete, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, Rey Needs A Hug, Sassy Rey (Star Wars), Snippets of summers, Sprinkled With Crack, Summer, They get older, Young Rey, ben the hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-01-25 17:43:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18579421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sillypennie4/pseuds/Sillypennie4
Summary: Ben Solo is the hero for a change, to a damsel in distress.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Still writing my other story, but I was getting so down in the dumps with all the seriousness, angst and plot that I just wanted to write something funny. Rated T for language. Enjoy!

Ben laid on his bed scowling at the ceiling, of his bedroom. The bedroom was only his in theory, because his mother never allowed him to paint it the colors he wanted. He wasn’t even allowed to put up posters because she feared tape damaging the walls of her precious house. The holes he had punched into them before had caused enough destruction.

 

Having gone through multiple growth spurts over the years, his long legs practically hung off the edge of the twin mattress. His inky hair splayed around his head, resting on his pillow, like a dark swirling halo. The day dragged at a snail’s pace, having nothing to do and nowhere to go. Well, there were places he WANTED to go but couldn’t. At 17 Ben should have been out driving in his own car. But no, on one of the hottest days of the year, when he could be driving down to the beach, he was stuck in his small bedroom. All because of his father. His frown deepened as rage stormed within him.

 

Han was a total gear head, even owning a mechanic shop. In his youth he won trophies and fame for being a professional race car driver. When Ben had turned 16 and could get his license however, his father had put his foot down. Han claimed he was too volatile to have a license. His father worried Ben would rage out on the road and cause a major accident. They fought viciously about it and his father had only used it as justification that he wasn’t mature enough to drive.

 

Ben growled at the memory, rolling out of bed and pacing the dark stained, hard wood floor. He was about to turn on some music, something loud and angry to match his mood. He would play it as loud as he liked because his father wasn’t home and his mother was at yet another charity fundraiser. Passing the large window in his room that let the bright sunlight flood the space, something caught his eye. He stopped, staring out at the quiet, lush suburban street.

 

Someone sat on the curb outside of his house. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the twiggy, little girl perched on the cement. He didn’t know her name, but had seen her around. She was always outside, sometimes alone, most of the time with another kid who lived up the street. The girl would wander the neighborhood at all odd hours of the day. Her family must have just moved to the area, because he had never noticed her before this summer. He didn’t know how old she was. Old enough to wander around by herself, but not old enough to care that she ran around with scrapped knees and dirty elbows. Certainly not old enough yet to be self conscious about her appearance. Some days he swore that she didn’t own anything other than her brown tank top, black flip flops, and cut off jean shorts. And her hair, she tied it up in the oddest three buns.

 

His nose scrunched at her, just sitting there in her usual outfit. He did a double take however after catching a glimpse of her bare feet. His annoyance steadily increased. What was that strange, little girl doing just settled in front of his house with no shoes? He huffed, throwing the door open to his room and stomping down the stairs. Pulling on his shoes, he yanked on the front entrance to the house. The summer heat smacked into him. The air thickened with humidity and he felt it stick to his skin.

 

Striding across the stone pathway he yelled, “Hey, kid!”

 

The girl jumped, obviously in shock. Standing on her uncovered feet, she used the heal of her hands to wipe at her eyes and nose.

 

Ben halted, like a lightning bolt had struck him, stunning him in place. His brow slowly unpuckered as he noted the red rimming her wide hazel eyes. The tip of her nose was pink and running. Her freckled cheeks were tear stained and her bottom lip trembled. The stray hairs that had fallen free from her buns plastered to her neck. Tan skin darkened further at her shoulders, and he wondered how long she had just been sitting out in this sweltering heat.

 

Something in his chest tugged at the sight of her. “What’s the matter?” Ben asked, bending slightly down toward her, and he didn’t think in all his life his voice had ever sounded so gentle.

 

“Nothing,” She said thickly. “I am fine.” She sounded offended that he thought something was wrong with her.

 

Ben twisted his lips. “Really?” he said sarcastically. His eyes fell to her toes squirming uncomfortably on the hot pavement. “So you always go around without any shoes on?”

 

“Maybe!” She said defiantly, straightening her back and her mouth turning into a hardline.

 

He saw the fire in her and questioned what had caused this little feral thing to be so upset. Eyes narrowing, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You are an unaccompanied minor, with no shoes, crying on someone else’s property. I could call the cops to pick you up or you can tell me what is going on, right now.”

 

If he had thought she was angry before, it was nothing compared to the withering glare she gave him now. He suspected she was going to call his bluff, but instead sighed, dropping her shoulders and gaze before speaking.

 

“I was chasing the ice cream truck,” the girl admitted, biting her bottom lip.

 

Ben didn’t respond, he only stood unblinking and silent, waiting for her to elaborate. There had to be more to this story. You don’t just sit and cry with no shoes over an ice cream truck that comes around almost every day.

 

“Come on, kid. What’s going on? The whole story.” Ben had meant to sound intimidating but the words once again came out like how a mother hen would coo to her chicks.

 

Her head snapped up and she looked him dead in the eyes. Ben swallowed at the open expression, as if no one in her whole life had ever spoken to her with such care. It hurt him in a way he couldn’t explain, almost an ache.

 

“My foster father doesn’t give me sweets and I was sick of microwaving macaroni and cheese all the time. I saw the ice cream truck but I knew he wouldn’t give me any money. So for the last few weeks I have been picking up fallen change.” Her face became frightened. “I didn’t steal it or anything! I made sure that no one wanted it.”

 

That peculiar twinge in his chest tightened. She seemed terrified of the idea of getting in trouble for picking up change. He suddenly felt like a monster for threatening to call the cops earlier. And why was she only eating microwaved mac and cheese? That couldn’t be healthy for a girl her age.

 

“I believe you,” Ben assured her.

 

“I finally got enough to buy something.” Her tiny hands dug into her pockets and she held out all the change. Dirty coins and discolored pennies sat in her palm. “I waited for the ice cream truck to come and I saw it stop at a corner, but it was really far. So I ran as fast as I could to catch it, but it was already driving away. I called after the ice cream man and I know he saw me, but he just kept going.” She started to sniffle again. “I tripped on my flip flops and I broke them. I had to throw them out in your garbage cans and the ground was too hot to walk home on.”

 

Ben’s face fell at her weeping. He wanted to give her a hug and console her, tap her back and let her cry onto his shoulder. Swallowing, Ben wondered where such a thought came from. He didn’t like kids. He didn’t like people in general, but he really didn’t care for children.

 

“He will probably be back tomorrow. You can try again. The ice cream man comes here all the time.” He put a hand on her shoulder patting awkwardly, and discovered how skinny she was. Her bones felt sharp under his palm. “I can call someone to pick you up.”

 

She shook her head so vigorously her buns swayed. “Plutt would never pick me up, and if he sees I have money, he will take it from me. He has done it before. And I worked so hard to get it.”

 

White hot, blinding rage swept through his whole body like a brush fire. He felt hotter than the summer day. If he ever saw this ‘Plutt’ he was fairly certain he would ring his neck. A fierce protective instinct reared its head, roaring loudly, at the gall. She seemed like a nice kid, and she just wanted ice cream. Something so simple it should have been easy for her to get. He couldn’t imagine how many sweltering days she spend scavenging for pennies. The memory of her scrapped knees and scuffed up elbows made more sense now. Whatever asshole was driving that ice cream truck just couldn’t stop for her? A storm raged in his head.

 

“Stay right here,” Ben commanded.

 

He ran into the house, climbing the stairs to his parent’s room. His mother had a walk in closet with more shoes than he cared to count. Leia was small and any sandals he found of hers would still be too big, but it was better than nothing. Spotting a pair of plain blue beach flip flops, he reached out his hand to grab them but then noticed another pair next to them. They were a pretty shade of pink and there were little flowers that decorated the top strap. He picked those up instead, hoping they might make her smile. His mother would never miss them anyway.

 

He whipped into the garage stumbling around in the darkness searching. Dust kicked up and it smelled like hot stale air. His face broke out into a smile when he found what he was searching for. He rolled his old BMX bike out to the side walk where the little girl still stood, very confused. Ben came over to her, very proud of himself with this idea.

 

“These are for you,” Ben said dropping to one knee and helping her put the shoes on while she put a hand on his shoulder to keep herself steady.

 

Her eyes were glued to her feet. They looked ridiculous so big on her, but she marveled at the pretty little flowers on them.

 

Ben stood up straight and smirked while she turned her legs to admire the flowers some more. “I was thinking. That ice cream truck cannot be too far. It probably is some place around this neighborhood. And I think that we can find it.”

 

Disbelief colored her features as her mouth hung open in shock, up at him. She must have been confused, because she was utterly speechless.

 

“You see, I can ride this bike and you can stand on the bars on the back wheel. I could ride around for a while until we find it?” He said the last sentence with an upturned inflection, because she still had not said a thing and he might have broken her. “Um, I mean if you want to.” Ben mumbled and rubbed the back of his slick neck, now feeling very self-conscious.

 

Like the sun slowly emerging from a cloudy sky, the little girl smiled. Her eyes crinkled, and her checks lifted as the corners of her mouth turned up, “Yes!” she shouted.

 

Relief flooded him. “Ok, Kid. Just make sure you be careful when standing on the back of the bike, no goofing around. Don’t squirm. Keep your hands on my shoulders and don’t take your feet off the bars.”

 

Ben straddled the bike and grimaced, realizing he hadn’t used it in a while and it was a bit small for him. The girl happily hopped on to the bars, standing straight and dutifully placing her clammy and calloused hands at the base of his neck.

 

“Here we go,” Ben warned before taking off.

 

A delighted squeal pierced the air. His hair whipped around him and even in the heat, the breeze from the bike felt refreshing. Tinkling laughter emanated from behind him like wind chimes. He squinted against the blazing sun pumping his legs to go faster, and the girl laughed louder, clearly delighted. Pretty houses with manicured lawns whizzed past them. The leaves rustled on the tall trees sounding like applause. The day was golden and bathed in green. Ben had forgotten how much he enjoyed this and had not felt this good in a very long time.

 

“Which way did you see this truck go?” Ben asked turning his head slightly so she could hear him better.

 

“That way!” Rey pointed to the right and she lost her balance a bit.

 

“I said to keep your hands on me, kid. I don’t want you falling off. If you want me to go right just use your pointer finger on your right and tap. Same with the other hand.”

 

“Okay,” she responded her voice trembling.

 

He didn’t want her to think he was mad at her or be afraid of falling off the bike, so Ben swerved right and left a little getting her to giggle again. She tapped his right shoulder and on the next street made a right. They continued this until Ben supposed that she didn’t even care about the ice cream truck anymore, she just adored the wind and the speed.

 

Then he heard the distant sounds of corny carnival music and his spirits lifted further, following the sound. He rounded the next corner and the white truck painted in primary colors was in view. It was parked and a mother and her son were paying for an icy. As soon as they stepped away from the truck it began pulling away from the curb to get back on the road.

 

“It’s getting away!” She called as her grip on him grew tighter.

 

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Ben said. He pushed harder. This ice cream truck was not getting away. He remembered how the little girl had said that bastard had definitely seen her trying to catch up. He pressed his lips together hard, and his brow came low over his eyes. Ben was gaining on them. Over his dead body would they ignore her this time. Ben was neck and neck with the ice cream truck now and he saw cold blue eyes check the review mirror and then flick away. The tires of the car sped up turning. “What the hell is this guy’s problem?!” He huffed. “You are getting your treat, kid.”

 

Ben made a sharp right across someone’s lawn, cutting the corner so he was now ahead of the van. Ben skid to a halt in the middle of the road. Blocking the vehicle. The driver slammed on his breaks. Ben was breathing hard through his nose as the girl stepped off, her eyes shifting from Ben to the van. Ben threw his bike down on its side so the car would have had to drive over it in order to get anywhere.

 

 

He marched over to the driver’s side of the car and banged on the window. It rolled down as a voice arose from inside. “Hey, crazy! What do you think you are doing!?” Ben’s hand shot out grabbing the man by the collar. The driver yelped in surprise as Ben nearly dragged him out of the car through the window.

 

A shock of bright orange hair emerged from the shadows of the cab.

 

“Solo?” The red-headed man attached to the end of Ben’s fist yelled, his face twisting in disgust.

 

“Hux? Why are you driving an ice cream truck?” Ben berated.

 

“Summer job, you, fucknut! What do you want?” Hux spit, face pinched.

 

“You see that little girl, shithead?” Ben took his free hand and pointed to the girl shuffling her feet. “She tried to catch you and you ignored her.”

 

Hux clutched at Ben’s wrist struggling to be released. “Is this what this is all about? I didn’t stop for some idiot girl?” Hux raised his voice.

 

Ben’s fist jabbed, and it connected with Hux’s nose. He screamed and clasped a hand over his face. There was no blood and Ben didn’t hear a crack. It wasn’t broken. Hux was just being a whiny bitch.

 

“She isn’t some idiot girl, Hux! She has a name,” Ben seethed. “Tell him your name, kid.”

 

“It’s, um Rey.”

 

Ben turned his attention back to her. “Rey? Really? Is that short for something?” He asked concerned that this little girl had the name of an old man.

 

Rey straighten up placing hands on her hips. “Yes. It’s short for, Rey,” she answered sounding perturbed. He almost wanted to laugh, imagining this was not the first time she had to defend her name.

 

Ben shrugged before turning back to the squirming teen, still trying to fight his way out of Ben’s hands. “Her name is, Rey. Now apologize to, REY.”

 

“You really are a piece of work,” Hux began but Ben shook him aggressively. “Alright! I am so sorry, Rey.”

 

“Good. Now, Rey would like to buy an ice cream,” Ben said slowly, as if he was talking to a very little child. “What did you want, Rey?” Ben threw over his shoulder.

 

“I want a vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles,” she chirped.

 

“How much is that, Hux?”

 

Hux curled his nose as though he were smelling something fowl. “It’s two dollars.”

 

Ben watched as Rey’s face fell, and her cheeks flushed. “I only have a dollar and forty eight cents.” He saw her swallow, and her slender arms wrapped around herself.

 

Ben grunted pouting, then rounded on Hux. “How much is that again?” he asked, his grip tightening on the front of his shirt.

 

Hux’s face turned the same shade as a tomato, and he spoke with loathing lacing his words. “It would seem we are having a special sale on vanilla ice cream cones with rainbow sprinkles for one dollar and forty eight cents.”

 

Rey’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, trotting forward, gripping the money in her hands.

 

Ben let Hux go so that he could go to the back and make Rey’s dessert.

 

“And don’t skimp on the sprinkles!” Ben threatened. Hux mumbled something about him being emotionally unbalanced as he banged around.

 

Rey handed Ben her money, and he dropped it on the small table attached to the truck window. Hux thrusted his arm from the truck, shoving the ice cream at them.

 

Ben took it with care like it was something precious and handed it to Rey who was vibrating with joy. Her eyes danced as she cherished the pretty colors of the sprinkles. She snatched it from him and swiped a generous lick across the vanilla, humming appreciatively. Ben wished he brought money with him. He would have bought her all the ice cream cones she wanted. _Next time_ , he caught himself thinking.

 

Ben picked up his bike from the middle of the street. Without another word, Hux jumped back into the driver’s seat and peeled away from them, tires screeching.

 

“Is it good?” Ben asked, watching her devour it.

 

She nodded vigorously, her mouth full of ice cream, “Thank you.” A few sprinkles stuck to her lips as she gripped the cone with both hands, staring up at him with awe.

 

Ben’s ears turned pink, feeling bashful at the way she looked at him like he was her own personal superhero.

 

“I was happy to help, Rey,” and Ben was surprised that he genuinely meant it.

 

“Hey, I don’t know your name!” Rey realized, a toothy grin stretched across her face.

 

Ben held out his hand toward her, “Ben, Ben Solo.”

 

Rey took her right hand, tacky from the heat of the day and the sugar from her treat, and shook Ben’s hand. He should have been grossed out by it, but for some reason he wasn’t at all. She left it there as she said, “It’s nice to meet you, Ben.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is fluff. Pure fluff. No plot. Hope it makes you laugh! MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU! (As usual, not beta read. So apologies now, grammatical edits later.)

“Ben, Ben, Bbeeennnn.”

 

Ben was only vaguely aware someone was calling his name. He groaned in his sleep, comfortable and warm. Groggily he forced his heavy eye lids open. Someone had opened the blinds on his bedroom window so it was far too bright. His vision was still blurry, but a flash of white teeth and blinking hazel eyes came into focus. Ben groaned even louder taking his blanket and throwing it over his head. He squeezed his eyes tight.

 

“Oh no you don’t!” He heard Rey chastise. And he didn’t even need to have his eyes open to know she had her hands on her hips and was pouting at him in that very bossy way of her's. “You have been in bed way too long. Come on, Ben. You are going back to school soon and I want to do something fun before you leave.”

 

“How did you even get in here?” Ben’s muffled voice came from behind his sheets.

 

“How I usually get in, the hidden emergency key that I stole from you last summer,” Rey explained, like the answer should be obvious.

 

Ben grumbled, “You are a criminal, you know that?”

 

He heard her laugh, then felt a small swoosh of air as she pulled the bedding away from him. Growling, he stuck his head under his pillow, the last line of defense. Ben was much too old to be bullied by a preteen, yet there he lay, shrinking away from her relentless berating.

 

“Benjamin, Gertrude Solo! You get out of bed,” Rey ordered.

 

“That’s not my middle name and you know it!” He peeked out from under the pillow, to see her amused expression.

 

“I will be downstairs waiting for you while you get ready, eating all your ice cream, and watching Game of Thrones on your Amazon account,” Rey added as she skipped from his room.

 

Ben shot up in bed to yell after her, “You are way too young to be watching that!”

 

Rey popped her head back in, her hair tied in her usual three buns. “Then you should have never given me your password.”

 

“I didn’t give you my password, you figured it out,” Ben argued back.

 

“It’s your own fault you know. It was not that hard to figure out ‘BENSOLO123’. That’s practically handing it out.” She rolled her eyes and proceeded back down the stairs.

 

Only after he was very sure she had disappeared downstairs did he allow a small chuckle to leave his mouth.

 

If he really cared she had access to his account, he could have changed the password at any time. He knew Rey watched him enter it in, while he made sure to type each letter slowly. The victorious smug expression she made when she “figured out the password” was worth it, even with all the bazaar anime that littered his watch list.

 

Ben also liked to pretend he had no idea Rey had her own key to get in. If he acknowledged it, then he would have to admit he willingly, indirectly gave a copy of his house key to a random foster kid 8 years younger than himself. To be honest he didn't mind her always showing up unannounced the last few years. There were worse ways to be woken up than by the cheery, freckle faced, Rey. He knew, and she knew, him giving her a hard time was just a part of the game they played.

 

Ben swung his legs around getting out of bed, and ready to start the day. The sun was shining, birds were singing and Rey was downstairs more than likely raiding their fridge.

 

***

 

He trotted down the steps and halted at the bottom. Ben ran a hand through his damp hair, pushing it away from his eyes. He spotted Rey curled up on his living room coach, spoon in hand as she dug into a carton of cookies and cream. She watched some kind of sci-fi movie on their tv with the closed caption running along the bottom of the screen, the way she preferred it. Ben could never figure it out and thought perhaps it was some kind of habit from when she lived over seas, before her parents had abandoned her, shortly after coming to the states. Even when she was not over, he still left the settings on the screen to her liking.

 

Rey had grown taller. The freckles on her cheeks faded a bit and he was happy to say her face was fuller and her limbs thicker, thanks to her regular visits for dinner. Ben also made sure their freezer overflowed with her favorite ice creams.

 

Spying her bare feet, he looked over to the hall tree and internally smiled at the pink flip flops with flowers on the straps. She grew enough over the years to fit in them properly. The sandal’s color faded, old and dirty, but it still didn’t stop her from wearing them all summer. He remembered the day that changed his existence as he knew it. He had always been a lonely child and his parents were gone so much he felt abandoned in the large empty home. At school he was teased for being unattractive and it caused him to retreat inward, becoming reluctant to get near anyone. Rey’s persistent friendship and bubbly personality had made everything brighter. Ben had not known he had been missing her in his life until the day they met. He had significantly less outbursts, helping him look at the world with child-like optimism. Despite the age difference, they seemed to just fit. He had heard people use the term "clicking" with someone and never understood it until Rey. Now he knew. "Clicking" like the last missing K'Nex piece snapping into place when building the giant ferris wheel.

 

One afternoon she rang the doorbell on a rare occasion when his parents were home. Startled with seeing adults for the first time at his house after days of visits, she asked permission if Ben could come out and play. His father had a nice great big laugh about it. His mother, being much more perceptive than he gave her credit for, recognized the too big sandals. They were both very confused by the situation at first, but it didn't take them more than a few minutes in her company for them to love her.

 

Upon his parents finding out about Rey’s foster father and her situation, Leia had wanted to fight to find her a new home. Rey had pleaded for her not to interfere. She had grown attached to his family and being moved to another caretaker meant she could be placed anywhere in the state. There was also no guarantee her new home wouldn’t be with someone more abusive. Leia and Han taking her in would not have been an option with them both always traveling and Leia's hectic work schedule. At least if she stayed with Plutt they could keep an eye on her and spoil her rotten. Since then she had plenty of other shoes gifted to her by his family, but she was always too embarrassed for handouts. Ben had convinced her gifts on holidays were not charity, so she bashfully accepted them. Holidays gave them an opportunity to shower her with presents that she accepted with grace.

 

“Why don’t you take a picture, Solo? It will last longer,” Rey said without removing her attention from the tv screen.

 

Ben scowled moving away from the staircase and making his way to the kitchen. “What are you even doing here today? Weren’t you hanging out with Fred?”

 

The open floor plan of the first floor made it possible for Ben to see right into the living room. Ben walked over to the keurig making himself a large cup of black coffee.

 

“You know his name is, Finn,” Rey replied, finally giving Ben her full attention. The corner of her mouth lifted.

 

“Oh? Just like how you know my middle name?” Ben quipped, leaning his hip on the kitchen island and crossing his ankles.

 

“You know I am only joking. I know your middle name is really Pernil,” Rey explained waving her spoon around.

 

Ben nearly choked on his drink, but managed to sound annoyed with a straight face when he responded with, “I am fairly certain that means ‘pork’ in Spanish.”

 

“Mmmmm,” Rey pretended to think very hard. “I guess it does. Your parents must really love red meat then.” Rey shifted on the cushions and faking nonchalance went back to her movie.

 

Fighting the amusement showing on his face, Ben cleared his throat and snarled, “Stop dodging the question. Where is your little friend?”

 

“Are you asking me if I have a machine gun?” Rey raised an eyebrow.

 

She spent entirely too much time with him, if she knew that pop culture reference. Ben’s stony expression didn’t crack as he stared her down.

 

Rey huffed throwing her arms in the air before placing the empty ice cream carton on the coffee table. “Fine!” Pink began to bloom on her cheeks. She spoke slow and unsure. “I am not with Finn because he leaned in to kiss me yesterday, and I punched him in the throat.”

 

This time Ben did choke on his drink. He lingered in emotional limbo as he sputtered, stuck between wanting to laugh and being furious. Thankfully he didn’t have to respond because the door to the house swung open and his mother and father walked in having a loud “discussion”.

 

“… then I will die with a smile on my face and a bacon cheese burger still clutched in my cold, dead hands,” A deep graveled voice yelled outside the threshold.

 

"You see. Mystery solved. They DO love red meat," Rey snarked, pointing to the door. Ben shot her a feigned dirty look. The little smart aleck.

 

His father swaggered in first.

 

“So this is what you want? To leave a poor, heartbroken, grieving woman, behind?” said a slightly raspy, higher voice from behind Han.

 

His parents were home, alright. Ben suspected both of their voices over time wore down more and more from all the arguing. He often pondered how much of their animosity toward each other was genuine or playful banter. With them, the line blurred. They carried on with their verbal sparing, not even noticing Ben. 

 

“What woman would that be? Do I know her? Because that sure doesn’t sound like you, princess.”

 

“You’re right. After you are gone I won’t have half the stress I am dealing with now, and I will find myself a nice, young - Oh Rey! When did you get here?” Leia brightened at the girl.

 

Rey waved from her seat, beaming so large her cheeks dimpled, “Only a few minutes ago.”

 

Leia adorned a simple yet classy pants suit, as usual. Her long graying hair piled high on her head in an elaborate braided design.

 

Han shuffled a bunch of shopping bags in his rough, wrinkled hands. He dropped them at the door and grunted. His hair was almost all gray and carelessly brushed. He hadn’t bothered to iron his button up shirt.

 

Han nodded at Rey with a swift, “Kid.”

 

“Where were you two?” Ben asked, thanking everything under heaven that he had a distraction from what Rey had just told him.

 

“The lawyer’s office. Our divorce is at long last finalized!” Han bluntly declared.

 

“Oh, please,” Leia said, smacking her husband’s arm, exasperated. “He, wishes.” Then she turned back to Han. “Sorry buster, you won’t be getting any alimony out of me.”

 

Ben rolled his eyes. That joke was getting old.

 

Han grabbed a beer out of the fridge before plopping down in his disgusting recliner, facing the tv. Ben didn't bother to remind him it was not even noon as he popped open the can.

 

“It’s Saturday,” Leia exclaimed, her eyes a light with realization. “Rey, shouldn’t you be playing that game that takes three years to finish over at Finn’s?”

 

“No. I punched him in the throat,” Rey answered, hugging her knees to her chest.

 

“Atta girl,” Han said, raising his drink up as if in a toast. "Just like I showed ya."

 

“Han! You don’t even know why she did it. Don’t praise her for an act of violence!” Leia said in the same tone she got when someone put their feet on the coffee table.

 

The short interaction already exhausted Ben and he just wanted to go back to bed and not deal with any of this. If he slipped away quietly they might not even notice. He worked his jaw thinking of the high probability they would stop him before getting half way across the room.

 

Maybe his parents will have advise for Rey, because the idea of Finn trying to kiss her both infuriated and confused him. They were the same age. They hung out a lot with each other. At their age he started to notice girls, this was normal. Nothing to freak out about. He sipped the bitter liquid waiting to see how everything would unfold.

 

“He tried to kiss me,” Rey said blushing. “He started leaning in and I kinda panicked and struck. Things are weird now.”

 

“Well, he certainly shouldn’t have tried to kiss you without your permission,” Leia frowned, taking a seat beside her and leaning in sympathetically.

 

The right side of Han’s mouth pulled up as he sported an arrogant superiority. “If I remember correctly, sweetheart, you didn’t seem to mind when I-“

 

“Shut up, Han!” Leia screeched.

 

Ben’s stomach turned and his face pinched.

 

“He had permission,” Rey clarified sitting up straight. 

 

Ben stood at full attention as his hands gripped the kitchen island so hard his knuckles blanched. The same fierce protective instinct that came over him the first time they met, roared to life again. She was much too young to be kissing any boys. Ben blamed Game of Thrones for her behavior.

 

“He did?” Leia questioned, confused. She folded her perfectly manicured hands in her lap as if she were in a peace negotiation.

 

“We were going to kiss on three and when he said three I freaked out,” Rey sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I feel really bad about hitting him. I just thought I could avoid him for a little while.”

 

Leia released a long slow breath before leaning back on the couch. “I think you should go talk to him, Rey. You have been friends for a very long time, he might be understanding.”

 

“I think you’re right. I'm just,” Rey paused and her chin dropped. “I’m nervous.”

 

Leia rubbed her back sympathetically. Rey looked defeated. Ben wanted to rush to her side as well but stayed were he was, shifting uncomfortably. 

 

“Ben,” Leia said so sharp it made him jump. “Go with Rey to Finns house. Maybe she will feel better about this if someone else is with her.”

 

Ben’s feet glued to the spot and he felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. “Me?”

 

His mother nodded solemnly.

 

“Why can’t you go?” Ben deflected, brooding darkly. He crossed his arms, his body tensing with anxiety.

 

“Because you are Rey’s friend and you aren’t a parent, but you are an adult. If I or Han go with Rey, Finn might get nervous and think he is in trouble for something,” Leia explained with pleading eyes.

 

“No. No way. Absolutely not.” Rey and Finn would eventually get over it. It wasn’t like they were never going to speak again. It was a misunderstanding. He grit his teeth. “It’s a bunch of kids, I would feel weird being there.” Ben in no way wanted to be anywhere near the awkward conversation she would have to have with Finn. His face heated and his frustration rose.

 

“Ben?” Rey asked barely above a whisper.

 

He focused on her, wrapping her arms around her torso. The heat of his anger extinguished. He knew that pose. She only hugged herself that way when she was really self-conscious. Any fight left in him dropped instantly at the sight of her distress.

 

“Please, come with me. If Finn doesn’t accept my apology I don’t want to have to walk back here alone.” Her face fell, her bottom lip pushed out and her green-gold eyes shone glassy.

 

A guttural sound of defeat released from deep within Ben. He ran a hand down his face. “Okay, Fine.”

 

Leia hid her grin behind her hand as he crumbled under Rey’s plea.

 

Rey perked up, her joy blinding. “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!”

 

He swallowed and he knew he had made the right decision when she looked at him like he was her knight in shining armor. She pushed up from the couch and ran to the door swinging it open and running up the walk way.

 

Dragging his feet, Ben made his way to the entry, still grumpy that he had been thrown into this. The weight of his parent’s stare forced Ben to check his back. His mother held in a laugh, threatening to burst from her at any moment. His father appeared cross and he shook his head.

 

“That girl has you wrapped around her little finger,” Han announced.

 

And this time his mother did release a cackle as she threw her head back.

 

Ben grit his teeth, clenching his fists, but didn’t argue because deep down he knew it was true. She could have asked him to crawl over hot coals and he would have done it if she really needed him to. If someone were to upset her he would burn the galaxy down in vengeance. He would sacrifice his dignity to make her smile. Seeing her cry broke his heart and he never wanted her to suffer. Her life had been hard enough, and hearing her laugh, watching her face scrunch up when she smiled, felt fulfilling in a way he couldn't explain. 

 

Ben seethed as he tied his sneakers.

 

“I don’t even want to know, what you are going to be like once she has tits,” Han groused.

 

Leia stopped laughing and sucked in a sharp breath, “Han!” She said getting up to smack his arm.

 

Ben’s jaw dropped, “Dad! It’s Rey. That’s really sick.”

 

“Yeah, you think it is sick now, because she doesn’t have any yet. Give it 5 or 6 years, you'll change your mind.” Han went to take another sip from his beer and Leia snatched it from his hand.

 

“No more for you! You’re drunk, Han.” Striding over to the sink she dumped his drink down the drain. She pulled out a wine glass and tugged on the fridge door to grab the merlot. Leia filled her cup to the top before chugging half of it.

 

Ben wanted to die, right on the spot so he could be spared this humiliation. The tips of his ears burned and he knew they were bright red under his hair.

 

“Go on, Ben. She is waiting for you.” Leia massaged her temple.

 

He was eager to leave them behind. In fact he wanted the entire last half hour of his life expunged from his memory. The next hour or so was yet to be determined if it also needed permanent bleaching in order to spare him from long term psychological damage.

 

Ben squinted against the glare outside. At the end of his walkway Rey bounced on the balls of her feet with nervous energy. He plodded toward her like a man on death row.

 

“Really, Ben this means so much to me,” Rey emphasized. They strolled down the block together, side by side.

 

He kept his neck craned forward, his hair falling around his face shielding it from the daylight. Ben was not sure which outcome he wanted with Rey and Finn. He could still be mad at her and Rey would be devastated over losing her friend. He would hate to see her sad. She deserved only good things in her life.

 

The other option was they could forgive one another. Hang out again, maybe they would do a take two of their attempted kiss. Rey was too young for a boyfriend right? But it would happen eventually. He liked their summers together, but sometime soon she would start dating the school football star. She would be popular and socially accepted, because who didn’t adore Rey? Then she would realize he was a loser with no friends and slowly make excuses about being too busy.

 

The coffee he had earlier must have been giving him heart burn, because something hurt in his chest.

 

“Ben? Are you mad at me?” Rey asked. She twisted and untwisted a strand of hair between her fingers.

 

“No,” Ben frowned. “What makes you think that?” He had to stop and look at her because he had to see what expression she was making.

 

“You are just really quiet,” Rey answered cautiously, her eyes shifting.

 

“I am always quiet,” Ben replied.

 

“Yes, but this is different.”

 

Ben didn't answer. The day was sunny but not hot. It was toward the end of summer and the air had lost the humidity it had during the peak months. Ben noticed how considerably smaller Rey was than himself. He was an adult and this little girl was his best friend. He was pathetic. Swallowing back a lump in his throat he made a decision, he would not hold her back. Next summer he would take an internship or do an exchange program. She wouldn't miss him. 

 

They paused in front of Finn’s. Rey faced Finn’s house and chewed on her bottom lip. She turned back to Ben and he could see her distress.

 

“Go and talk to your friend. You will be okay,” Ben encouraged.

 

Rey inched toward the front door and stood there before peeking over her shoulder at Ben who planted himself on the curb.

 

“Don’t worry about anything. I will be right here waiting for you, sweetheart,” Ben’s voice almost cracked.

Her eyes widened and he knew why. He had never called her that before, but the endearment slipped out so naturally it felt like second nature. It had to have been exactly what Rey needed to hear because her face set and she rang the doorbell. 

Finn's grandmother opened the door for Rey, beckoning her in warmly.

Ben stood there waiting. Rey would come out soon and tell him they had to leave or tell him he could walk back to his house because she was staying. He was on the outside looking in and this felt like everything else in his life. This was another case of being isolated and having to spurn others before they rejected him. Ben prepared himself to walk back to his house by himself. He would have to find some way to drown out his parent's feuding. The toe of his shoe kicked around a small pebble while he waited. 

The screen door to the house creaked open and Rey came bounding out, with an extra spring in her step. She was going to tell him he could leave and he scowled at the ground. 

"Ben!" Rey cheered. "Finn forgave me almost right away. He said that he wasn't upset with me and was worried I hated him! Your mom was right. Talking to him was a good idea. I might have kept avoiding him, then things would have gotten worse."

"I'm really glad to hear that," Ben lied the best he could. "So I guess you should get back in there to play your game."

Rey crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Oh no you don't Benjamin Lafawnda Solo! You are not getting out of hanging out with me! I told you I wanted to do something fun before you went back to school and we are going to do something fun!"

The weight that had been dragging Ben down lifted off his chest. He was deliriously relieved she wasn't leaving him. He didn't even care that he felt pathetic and desperate, she still wanted to be around him. She CHOSE him. 

"Ok, Kid," Ben said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," Rey said conspiratorially. "Now that you have your license, I say we ask your dad if we can borrow one of his cars and we head down to the waterpark. I found out Hux's new summer job is as a lifeguard at the wave pool. Wanna see how many times we can trick him into thinking we are drowning so he has to jump in and save us?" 

Ben burst out into a full belly laugh, "He is going to hate us!"

"I will give you my life savings if you can fake it well enough so he has to give you mouth to mouth," Rey howled. 

"There is not enough money in the world," Ben answered. "If he gets that close to me, Finn won't be the only one who can say they got a throat punch this summer." 

"Come on! The sooner we leave the sooner we can see Hux's skin turn the same shade as his hair," Rey cheered. She took a hold of his hand to pull him along as she sprinted up the street.

Ben's heart soared. Maybe he wouldn't be taking an internship next summer, or any summer, if he could help it.


	3. Chapter 3

There was something different about Rey.

  
He observed her talking to the hostess to get them a table at the restaurant Finn worked. The food was supposed to be really good, and the atmosphere friendly and casual. It was a nice place, but Ben paid his surroundings very little mind. He was watching Rey as she chatted animatedly.

  
Ben had not been home in sometime. His new job kept him very preoccupied and demanded most of his time. Last summer was the first time he didn’t come home at all, because he got a job right out of college like a real adult. The company was going through a merger and it was a hectic time. He hadn’t visited for holidays either. Conglomerates like the one Ben was employed, even worked through Christmas.

  
He and Rey kept in regular contact with one another, but not as much as he would have liked. Their schedules never lined up. In addition to him being unavailable, she was busy with high school, sports teams, and part time jobs. Ben led an isolated life, unlike Rey. Her life was full, with lots of friends and having fun. He didn’t have anything going for him other than work. He was sure Rey didn’t even notice that they spoke less and less. She most likely didn’t even care about the distance. Ben cared though. He felt like there was an open sore in his chest that would not heal. Ben would have become very depressed with it all if he had the time to think about it. He didn’t.

  
Two years had past and Ben had not seen Rey. He was on his way back from a meeting in Japan, and thought he would finally stop in his hometown before heading back to the city. Two years worth of holidays and birthdays were missed. He patted his pants pocket to make sure the gift he had for Rey was still there. It wouldn’t make up for not being around for her sweet 16 a month back but he wanted to try and make it up to her.

  
When he used his house key to open the door, he shouldn’t have been surprised to see Rey on the other side swinging a baseball bat. After all, he had dropped by unannounced. Ben had barely dodged a swing for his head. But getting clocked with a solid wood slugger would have had less of an impact than when he saw the girl wielding said bat.

  
He felt like he had been hit with a truck. The familiar wide hazel eyes and brown hair were unchanged. Everything else was different though, and he couldn’t tell what it was specifically. Her entire presence and demeanor was unfamiliar. There had been no time to figure it out, because she catapulted into him the minute she realized she had nearly concussed her best friend. She babbled at lightning speed, but what words he did catch, suggested they go to dinner to catch up.

  
That’s what led him to this moment, unable to unfix his eyes from her. He felt as if he were unearthing some great mystery, and on the verge of discovery.  
She possessed a softness she hadn’t had before, but was still athletic. Sun kissed skin glowed. Her lips filled out, her waist had narrowed, or her hips had widened, maybe both.

  
Her style had changed too. He had been used to her wearing baggy t-shirts and shorts long enough to brush her scuffed up knees. A black tank top hugged her torso. The day had been very hot, but even so he didn’t think such skimpy shorts were appropriate. He hoped she didn’t wear those around the boys at her school. His jaw ticked thinking about some punk kid giving her lecherous attentions. Is that how all the girls her age dressed? Her long muscular legs were on full display. They couldn’t have been comfortable to wear. If she bent over they would ride up all the way to her underwear. Another disturbing thought slammed into him. Maybe with that style you weren’t supposed to have anything on underneath.

  
Ben felt dizzy, and it was hard to breath. Was he having a panic attack? His heart was beating fast and burning in his chest. This was his little Rey, wearing such revealing things.

  
Rey made her way over to Ben with a subtle swing in her step. It was graceful. She held her head high and her shoulders pushed back. Her posture was confident and assured. Even her smallest movement appeared artful, like a ballet dancer. It mesmerized him.

  
“Ben, are you okay?” Rey asked. Her brow creased with concern. “You look a little flushed.” She placed a hand on his arm, he could have imagined it, but had she squeezed?

  
Ben's tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and he couldn't respond, only nod numbly.

  
This only served to make Rey’s forehead crease deeper, but she brightened up again. “Um, okay. So the hostess is my friend, Jess, and she actually was able to get us a booth. We can um…” Rey jerked her thumb back toward the hostess station.

  
Ben didn’t move, still trying to mentally talk himself down from freaking out. Finally he forced his brain to function. “Oh yes! Yes. Lead the way.”

  
That was a bad decision, because walking behind her gave him a clear view of her tiny shorts and it made him extremely uncomfortable. He placed his attention on anything he could, except her. They really needed to turn up the air conditioning because he felt unbearably hot.

  
The girl led them to a booth rather secluded. The fake leather seats squeaked as they slid in on opposite sides. The lighting was a bit low and the high gloss table shined.

  
“Here you are guys. This is the menu and your waiter will be with you shortly,” Rey’s friend said.

  
The hostess winked at Rey placing a hand on her shoulder and Rey giggled. His eyes flicked back and forth from Rey to Jess. What was going on? Were they flirting with one another? That was certainly new.

  
Rey picked up her menu scanning through it, “I really think you are going to love this place. I get take out all the time, but this is the first time I stayed to eat.” Ben nodded. He spied over the edge of his menu, drinking in the scene of Rey sitting across from him in the booth. Long lashes bushed the top of her cheeks. Instead of her three buns, she wore a becoming high ponytail. “Most of my friends are on staff. Finn works in the kitchen, Jess and Rose are friends of mine that work here too. I thought about getting a job here because the tips would be great, but I am learning so much working at your Dad’s garage.”

  
He turned cold. All Ben could imagine was Rey in her current outfit bending over the hood of a car and the low lives that work there ogling her. He made an audible growl. “So you still work there?” Ben said trying to tamper his anger. “The guys don’t bother you?”

  
“Absolutely not. They have all been much nicer than I thought,” Rey answered then added, “I think me elbowing Teeto that first day might have had something to do with it.”

  
Ben snickered. A sense of pride bubbled in him at his little wild Rey. “I am glad you are doing well there. Have you thought anymore about colleges, maybe a major?”

  
“Actually, I have been! You see it is much too early for applications but I have been trying to look into grants and scholarships.” Rey twittered.

  
“You know you don’t have to worry about that, Rey. My parents are more than happy to help out.”

  
“You guys have already done so much for me, there is no way I could do that,” Rey ducked her head.

  
Ben opened his mouth to protest but before he could answer, he caught in his periphery their waiter arriving.

  
“Hello and welcome to Katana's.”

  
The voice sounded familiar. Ben dropped his menu and his eyes bugged from his head when he saw who it was.

  
“Hux?”

  
“Oh for the love of all that is holy!” Hux shouted. Color was already rising up his neck, and the pen he was holding threatened to snap. His red hair clashed unflatteringly with his green work polo.

  
Ben’s attention flicked over to Rey and she had both hands covering her mouth and shook with silent laughter. She planned this.

  
“You are working as a waiter, now?” Ben asked incredulously.

  
“Some of us can’t finish our Master’s degree in four years and get a job right out of college,” Hux said through clenched teeth. “Some of us have a social life. I am switching sections with someone else.”

  
“Don’t be like that, Hux. I specifically asked Jessica to seat us here just so we could see you,” Rey stated giving him innocent doe eyes. “And beside, she already told all the other servers not to switch with you. It seems like they were more than happy to play along. I don’t think you are well liked here.” Rey pretended to inspect her nails.

  
His upper lip twitched. Ben thought he was going to quit right there on the spot. “Drink order,” Hux barked.

  
“Is that anyway to speak to your patrons?” Rey goaded. “This is bad customer service. This might affect your tip.”

Ben was on the verge of hysterics at Hux steadily tensing up.

  
Hux’s shoulders were up by his ears, and his back rigid. “What would you like to order, kind sir and miss?”

  
Rey cleared her throat before saying, “I will just have a water.”

  
“Same for me.”

  
Hux rolled his eyes. “Yes two waters. I guess I have my hands full with two big spenders.” He marched away, stiffly.

  
Ben snorted, as Hux retreated. “Aren’t you a little concerned he will spit in our food?”

  
“Nah,” Rey said throwing out a hand flippantly. “Finn works in the kitchen, and I have way more friends here who would watch out for me. Honestly he wouldn’t say it, but I think he is really very happy to see us.”'

  
“What makes you say that?” Ben tilted his head.

  
“Well I didn’t bother him at all last summer. It was his first break without seeing us and I like to think deep down he missed it.” Rey placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward in a casual and familiar gesture.

  
“Or he was jumping, looking over his shoulder for two months waiting for us to pop up,” Ben proposed, leaning in too. “Why didn’t you track him down and hassle him last year?”

  
Rey gave a mischievous smirk, “I wouldn’t dream of torturing Hux without you.”

  
Ben placed a hand over his heart, as he got misty eyed. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  
“Ahem!” Hux cleared his throat.

  
Rey and Ben slid back away as Hux gave them both a strange, suspicious, side glance. He banged both cups of water down, causing some of it to slosh onto the table.

  
“Now look what you did,” Ben bellowed. He gestured at the wet spots. “You need to clean this up.”

  
Hux snarled as he took their cloth napkins and wiped up the water.

  
“Well now we need new, dry napkins,” Rey remarked.

  
Hux’s cheeks puffed up and he squeezed his eyes tight.

  
“While you are at it, get me a diet coke,” Ben ordered.

  
Spinning around, he stomped away.

  
A laugh rumbled Ben's chest. “I think he is turning a new shade of red.”

  
“It is just way too easy to get under his skin.” Rey took a long sip from her water.

  
A shrill ring cut through the atmosphere. Ben fished around in his pocket for his cell phone as Rey gave him her “bossy angry face”, which was different from her “angry bossy face”. He was glad to see the old Rey.

  
“Benjamin Bartholomew Solo! Don’t answer your phone at the table.”

  
Upon seeing the name on the phone, Ben licked his lips and sucked in a breath. “Rey, I am so sorry, I have to take this. It’s work.”

  
Rey slumped in her chair, squinting and crossing her arms.

  
Ben only half listened to his boss rattle off information and demands that were expected of him over the next week.

  
“Yes, yes, of course. Email me the information and it will be priority one in the morning.” Ben ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, bye.” Ben got off the phone as quickly as he could. He thrummed his fingers on the table. “I am really sorry, Rey.”

  
Her expression softened. “It’s alright. I know your job is important.”

  
“Your new napkins,” Hux sarcastically flourished the napkins on the table. “And your diet coke.” He clunked the cup down in front of Ben.

  
He stepped back like he was going to make an escape, but Ben stopped him with placing his hand in his way.

  
“Hux, I wanted a diet Pepsi.”

  
Hux took three long breaths before responding, “You asked for a diet coke!”

  
“No, I heard him,” Rey confirmed. “He said a diet pepsi.” She played with the straw in her cup in a lazy way.

  
“We don’t have diet pepsi. If you had truly asked for that before, than I would have mentioned that to you.” His hands kept clamping and unclamping.

  
“Well then you weren’t paying attention," Ben said with distain. "Take this back. If you don’t have any diet Pepsi than just get me regular coke. And this wimpy little lemon on my water is not going to suffice. I want a bowl of fresh cut lemons.”

  
Hux’s expression was murderous, but he gave a curt nod. He swiped the diet coke and stomped away.

  
They both waited until he was far from the table before speaking again. “This is too fun. What other menial tasks can we give him?” Rey said joyously.

  
“I have an idea,” Ben said. “Ask him for extra sugar packets too when he comes back.” Ben inclined again. “Are you still thinking about going to school locally? There are a lot of viable options in the city.” Ben knew he was being selfish by mentioning this. If she went to school near him then maybe he could see her more. He hoped his statement came out casual enough.

  
“I mean I would be closer to you, which would be nice to know at least one person if I went away to school.” Rey rested her head on her hand with a wistful hum.

  
A bowl of sliced lemons plopped in the center of the table. And then a cup of cola slid in front of Ben. Hux had an oily smile on his face that he didn’t trust for a minute.

  
“You look thirsty. Take a sip of my drink.” Ben pushed the cup toward the edge of the table.

  
Rey sat, watching their exchange like a tennis match.

  
Hux sputtered, blinking rapidly. “It’s your drink. I wouldn’t dream of taking it.”

  
“Right. I am not taking it unless you take some first.” Ben placed a new straw in the cup waiting for Hux to move. When the red head swore under his breath and took the cup back, he went to storm off again.

  
Before he could go far, Ben snapped his fingers at him. He could hear his teeth grinding.

  
“We will need much more sugar packets as well,” Rey said.

  
“What do you need those for?”

  
“Hey, it isn’t your job to ask, just get it.” Ben frowned.

Hux left grumbling loudly that Ben was a megalomanic psycho.

  
Rey put her palms flat on the table. With glee she said, “I think actual steam is coming up from his head.”

  
As soon as Hux was out of sight, Ben’s cell blared again. Rey’s cheeks puffed out as Ben fumbled with his phone, watching Rey steadily.

  
“Yes,” Ben answered. His boss was on the end of the line giving orders but half of him was with Rey. “Mr. Snoke, I answered as quickly as I could. Anything you say.”

  
“Ben this is-” Rey began.

  
Ben held up a finger to silence her and Rey turned apocalyptic. She pounced grabbing his wrist and biting down hard on his finger.

  
Ben yelped, dropping his phone and it clacked and cracked on the restaurant floor. “Rey!” Well, he wouldn’t be hearing from Snoke anytime soon. “Did you just bite me?!” Ben was too surprised to be angry.

  
“You were waving your finger in my face!” Rey mimicked him.

  
Her wagging hand and annoyance for some reason amused him to no end. He loved to see her fire just as much as her laugh and right now she looked ridiculous, and a chortle released from him.

  
Rey's annoyance melted away and they both ended up shaking with hilarity, at the situation.

  
Ben gave his cell phone a sullen pout. “My phone is destroyed.”

  
Rey wiggled in the booth, quite pleased. “Good! For the rest of the night, you are mine then.” Rey’s stare was intense, concentrated right on him.

  
Ben felt a rush of heat up his neck at her words and his stomach flipped. He swiped his hand across his forehead, subtly checking if he had a fever, not that he would know. His body was not behaving itself and he couldn’t figure out why.

  
Hux returned with a handful of sugar packets. Silently Ben’s gaze touched the sugar then the bowl of lemons, then at Rey. She jerked her chin once, understanding what he wanted her to do. Rey tore into the paper, dumping packet after packet in her water, then taking the extra lemons and squeezing that into her cup. She was making a sticky lemony mess.

  
Outraged Hux exclaimed, “We serve lemonade here you know!” His face twisted in distaste at her concoction.

  
“I know. I just like it custom made. I will need another cup of water, just in case the lemonade gets too overwhelming for me and I have to cleanse my palette.”

  
Hux seemed eager to fetch her water and get as far away from them as possible, his nose still curled like he was smelling something fowl.

  
“I wonder if I could get Hux a job at my company just so I could watch him squirm,” Ben said.

  
“We would have to take bets on how fast you think he would develop an ulcer.” Rey sipped on her newly made lemonade.

  
“I think he has one already,” Ben joked.

  
“Honestly, I would be surprised if he hadn’t developed one from the stress of kindergarten. He is so uptight. All of that playing and using their imaginations. How dare they?! He is like a high pressure tire, ready to pop.”

  
Ben had to agree with her. Hux might have enjoyed their teasing if he had a sense of humor. If he was honest with himself, he wasn’t that different from Hux before he met Rey. But that sourpuss didn’t have a Rey. He almost felt bad for him. Ben would make sure to leave the poor sop a substantial tip.

  
Hux appeared with the water, placing it down carefully so nothing spilled. He even wiped off the condensation on the side so they would have nothing to complain about. He flipped open a note pad. “Are you two ready to order, so you can get your food, and you can eat, then my favorite part, you can LEAVE?”

  
“You know there are so many wonderful things to eat. I just simply can’t make up my mind,” Ben said. “Tell me about your specials and be very specific with the ingredients I have a dairy allergy. If you neglect to give me correct information I could eat something bad and go into shock. I wouldn’t want you to be held responsible.”

  
Hux bristled and rattled off all the specials and all the ingredients. Ben really was quite impressed with his thorough knowledge. Ben and Rey listened, humming and nodding as if what he was saying was of great importance. Rey steepled her fingers, pressing them to her lips.

  
Once he finished, Hux smugly stood with his hands behind his back as if, Ben were trying to trick him up but he was victorious.

  
“Hmmm. I will have a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake,” Ben answered.

  
Hux turned pale, his mandibles quivering.

  
“I will have the same,” Rey said holding out the menu.

  
“You don’t have a diary allergy, do you?” Hux‘s voice shook with the effort to not scream.

  
“Nope.”

  
With the force of an explosion Hux released his words. “What is wrong with you two?!”

  
Ben felt triumphant as Hux began to lose his mind. His perfectly groomed hair became disheveled as he paced. A vain on his temple stood out.

  
“I think we finally broke him,” Rey said to Ben behind her hand.

  
“Is this some sort of weird, sexual thing? Hm?” He flailed his arms. “Does it get you two off or something?” The other tables were starting to gawk at them unabashed. “Do you have nothing better to do than to torment me?”

  
Rey followed Hux back and forth with her eyes, “Well, since you got us kicked out of the waterpark for life, no, no we don’t have anything better to do.”

  
“You both deserved that! I nearly gave Solo mouth to mouth!” Hux spit, throwing an accusing finger at Ben.

  
“We were just messing around. But you got security involved,” Ben pointed out.

  
“Now on the hottest summer days when I could be lounging in the lazy river, or shooting down a sick water slide, I am home, alone while all of my friends are at the waterpark without me,” Rey said giving the most pitiful face. “All because some pasty jerk was too uptight to take a joke.”

  
“They took our pictures, Hux. For the rest of our lives, Rey and I are criminals,” Ben said distressed.

  
“Well I lost my job from there, because of you two! It was the best job I ever had! I sat up on a chair above everyone, bossing people around and blowing my all powerful whistle! Those snot nosed brats at the water park had to listen. I commanded hundreds on a daily basis.” He flung his arms out in what Ben thought resembled a Nazi salute a little too much.

  
“You do know, you can just buy a whistle at a sporting goods store if you miss blowing so much.” Rey said suggestively.

  
“But at least you can go back there. We are banned FOR LIFE.” Ben emphasized. “Years from now, when we have kids, they will look at us with tears in their eyes and say, ‘why can’t you take us to the waterpark’ and I will have to explain that we have mug shots hanging on the wall, forbidding us to enter.”

  
Ben turned to Rey expecting her to add something else, but saw her mouth hanging open. It was like she was frozen in place.

  
Hux wore a smarmy evil smile. “I always knew there was something funny going on with you two.” Hux snickered. “Phasma owes me 100 bucks!”

  
Ben replayed what he had said in his mind and horror struck him. “I meant my kids and Rey’s kids!”

  
Rey’s eyes widened and Hux only became more pleased.

  
“I mean separately. Like with other people,” Ben panicked. “And I said ‘we’ because we would still be friends, not that they were our kids we made together.”

  
A small squeak came from Rey. Ben was going to pass out, because all he could think about now was Rey older, them both tangled in his sheets.

  
“Because we are just friends, only friends!” Ben beseeched Hux. “There is nothing funny going on. She is just a kid. I don’t see her that way at all. I never have.” Ben spiraled, words spilling out of him uncontrollably. His brain was yelling at him to stop but his mouth kept going. “I never will. We are totally platonic. She isn’t even my type! I mean beside her being way too young, Rey is like my tomboy baby sister.”

  
Rey’s shocked expression slowly morphed into something much harder. He could see her nostrils flaring.

  
Hux cackled, “Oh Solo. I plotted revenge against you, but I think you have screwed yourself over much better than I ever could!”

  
Rey sprang to her feet and slammed the heals of her hands on the table before fleeing.

  
“Rey!” Ben yelled.

  
Hux looked so self-satisfied, so very happy that Ben wanted to kick his ass right then, but Rey was so much more important.

  
He sprinted after her. Running out the restaurant, he whipped his head around searching for her. Just in time, he spotted a flash of chestnut hair turn the corner of the building. She had already gotten so far. Rey had always been a quick runner. She had told him once that she had to be, and he had been afraid to ask her why.

  
Ben sped up. He would catch up to her. Even if he had to run all night, he would. He rounded the building, scanning the street. The sun was setting and it would be so much harder to find her in the dark. Luckily, he didn’t have to. One of Rey’s flip flops must have broken as she was running, because far ahead he saw her picking up her shoe. Her horribly cheap foot ware was becoming his greatest ally in life.

  
Ben reached her, huffing and puffing from sprinting at break neck speed to catch up. He knew she was mad. He said some stupid things that probably made her feel self-conscious. What he didn’t expect to see were her eyes glassy, and tears running down her face.

  
His soul throbbed. A memory flashed in his mind of a situation very similar to the scene before him.

  
“Rey. I didn’t mean to-. I was just-.” Ben had no idea what to say. He wasn’t even really sure what Rey was so upset over, only that he had said something that really hurt her. “Please, Rey. Talk to me.”

  
People who passed were either outright staring at the scene or trying very hard to ignore them. His skin prickled from their reactions. The air was much cooler in the early evening and Ben worried about Rey in her microscopic shorts.

  
“Come on Rey, let’s just get back to the car and we can talk about this back at the house.” Ben felt helpless.

  
Rey nodded while still wiping at her face. He craned his neck to where the car was parked and frowned at her broken flip flop.

  
“You need to wear better shoes,” Ben suggested as he scooped her up.

  
“Ben!” Rey gasped.

  
She was so light. He wondered if she had been eating properly. She was warm and small. His arm hooked at the back of her knees and her skin felt like silk.

  
“This is humiliating,” Rey mumbled as people stared and someone whistled. She slung one arm over his neck and covered her face with the other, burrowing into his chest. Her breath bushed his chest through his button up shirt. When he placed her in the passenger seat of the car, he wished that the walk had been a bit longer.

  
As he drove, Rey’s head was down and she hugged herself. That was never a good sign. It killed him to sit in silence with her, but he owed it to her to give her his full attention.  
He parked in the drive way and picked her up out of the car. He gently placed her down then unlocked the door.

As soon as they got into the house words rushed from her like she couldn’t hold them in a second longer. “Do you really see me as just some little kid?”

  
Ben stepped to stand right in front of her. “Of course not, Rey. You are my best friend.”

  
“I’m your only friend.” She cocked an eyebrow.

  
Ben bend down, “That’s true. But then that should tell you how special you are to me. You know this, Rey.”

  
“Actually I don’t, Ben.” Her voice had a hard edge to it. “What you said to Hux about me…” Her voice sounded so vulnerable. “These last two years I have hardly heard from you. I am always the one reaching out. I started to think that maybe I was bothering you. You are an adult with a job and your own apartment. I am just in high school. I am not sophisticated or educated. I bet you hearing about my classes and after school sports are boring and juvenile. You have been acting strange and then you were answering your phone for work. I thought you really didn’t want to see me. You didn’t even call to tell me you were coming into town. If I hadn’t been in your parent’s house when you arrived would I even be with you right now?" She swallowed before continuing. "My parents left me and then you hadn’t been around and I thought I was being abandoned all over again. Like I wasn’t good enough. I felt pathetic because you being so far away from me, it was like-” Rey didn’t finish her sentence, her lips becoming a hard line and she held a fist to her chest.

  
A lump formed in Ben’s throat listening to her. He knew what it felt like being away from her. He wasn’t even sure if this was normal to want to be around someone so much. How she pressed her knuckles to her breastbone, he knew the pain she was trying to depict, because he knew it too. She had missed him. Her face twisted like she hated to admit this weakness.

  
It was his turn to confess. “Don’t be afraid. I feel it too.”

  
Rey’s head snapped up to him.

  
“It was like a part of me had been removed," Ben admitted.

  
She nodded, her eyes large with surprise.

  
“I am so sorry Rey. I had no idea you felt this way. Listen, sweetheart, I haven’t been calling because I thought you didn’t miss me. You are so busy and you have so many friends and I thought you wouldn’t want to be around a boring old guy like me.”

  
“You aren’t that old.” Her mouth quirked up at the side. Her arms loosened so she wasn’t hugging herself anymore.

  
“I noticed how you assured me I wasn’t old, but you didn’t correct me on the boring part.” Ben stood up straight and crossed his arms like he was mad at her.  
Rey laughed and he knew all was forgiven.

  
“I promise, Rey, I will make more of an effort to stay in touch. I am really sorry I haven’t been around and that I missed your sweet 16.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  
“An OLD, BORING guy like you would have hated it anyway,” Rey sauntered away from him collapsing onto the couch. “You can make it up to me by buying me pizza. We didn’t have a chance to eat dinner.”

  
Ben trot over feeling light and whole. “You got it. But first, I do have a birthday gift for you.” digging deep in his pocket, he took out a small square box. “I know you don’t wear jewelry but I saw this and had to get it for you.” Ben smiled so large his face hurt. He couldn’t remember the last time he grinned this much.

  
Rey reluctantly reached out and took the black velvet box with a quizzical expression. The little hinge creaked open, and he watched as Rey radiated with happiness. “Oh my goodness! This is perfect!” Rey fumbled with the box in her haste to put on her new necklace. Her shaking hands finally clasped the white gold chain around her neck. She skipped over to one of the decorative mirrors to admire the small flip flop pendant. It was pink but the straps were made of white gold and had small flowers along it.

  
“I hope you know that I am never taking this off,” Rey said looking over her shoulder at Ben. “If someone says they will pay me a million dollars for it, it isn’t going anywhere. If years from now they find out that sandal pendants cause leprosy, it isn’t coming off.”

  
Ben chuckled as Rey continued.

  
“Even if I find a door to an alternate universe, but it requires me to take off all metals, it isn’t coming off. I am going to die in this necklace and be buried with it.”

  
“I take it, you like it?” Ben asked his hands still in his pockets.

  
“Yes! I love it. Thank you.” Rey came over and circled Ben in her arms as best she could.

  
Ben didn’t know what possessed him, but he tilted forward and pressed his lips to the crown of her head. She smelled like sunshine, newly mowed lawns and fruity sunblock.

  
The key lock to the house turned, and the door opened.

  
“You are a relentless nag!” A deep voice complained.

  
“And you are a scruffy looking nerfherder!”

  
Rey let him go but did not step away. “Looks like your parents are home,” Rey smiled, wrinkling her freckled nose, and gazing at him like he was the night sky.

  
With that one look he was enchanted. Spell bound. And it was that exact moment Ben discovered he was hopelessly in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely do not condone harassing any wait staff IRL! Just throwing that out there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am having too much fun with this. One more chapter, then I am seriously stopping. Not beta read. Edits to follow during the week. ;) Thanks for reading.... And this is not going to go the way you think...

Ben slouched on his sofa. His head tiled back staring at the ceiling, wondering how he had got to this moment. His neck whipped to the side to face his fancy wall clock that said it was 9:32 pm. He pressed his lips. There was no way that only two minutes had passed since he had last checked it. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his dark wash, fashionably distressed jeans.

Springing up from the couch he walked over to his thermostat. He tapped it with his finger. Maybe his air conditioning wasn’t working. That had to be the reason he threatened to sweat through his gray knit t-shirt. Ben turned the temperature down. He paced the living room of his house. HIS house that he bought with HIS money, but spent almost no time there. He had earned so much money over the last years he hadn’t known what to do with it all, so he bought a house that he rarely lived in. The 3 bedroom Craftsman house was about a 20 min drive from his parent's. It stood in a pretty suburban neighborhood close enough to the city that he could commute easily. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't have an apartment in the city anymore because he liked the idea of living closer to Rey.

He worked himself into the ground the last 5 years. It was gym, work, gym again to blow off steam, Netflix, bed. He had never taken off a day. Finally, three weeks ago Ben had had the nerve to tell his boss, Mr. Snoke, to go shove it. The last straw was when he ordered Ben to stay an extra month in Spain when he told them it was very important he have one weekend off to go back home. He needed just two days off after 5 years of cult like devotion to the company, and he was denied.

Ben tried getting a flight out the same day he quit, but there were severe thunder and hail storms canceling any and all flights. Ben panicked. He dialed Rey’s number to tell her that after swearing he would be there no matter what, he was stuck in Spain.

Her voice was very small when she responded with a simple, “Oh.”

He couldn’t apologize enough. Begging for her forgiveness, he told her that he would give her anything she wanted for her birthday. Ben had been paid obscenely well, which was the only reason he stayed with Snoke as long as he had. Now that he quit, he still had a lot of money and unlimited time. He had told her he wasn’t exaggerating. If she wanted a car, if she wanted five cars, he would buy them for her. He said he would pay for her and all of her friends to vacation in the Bahamas. Did she want to stay in an apartment when she went to school? He would buy her a condo to live in if she didn't like the apartment. He could buy her hockey season tickets right up against the glass.

The silence on the other line was not a good sign. Ben was ready to use every red cent he had to bribe a pilot to fly him out that minute. He failed her. It tore him apart inside.

 _Anything_? She had asked.

The relief was so immediate he sighed, collapsing into a chair. He had told her absolutely no questions asked, whatever she wanted it was hers.

Thinking about the memory now, Ben groaned at his stupidity. When she had told him what she wanted over the phone, he had felt sweaty. He had stared off into space for a long time afterward. He had no idea that this was something she wanted, that she wanted _him_ to do with _her._ His thermostat was most certainly broken, because the room was stifling.

She was supposed to be there at 9:30, but texted to say she was running late. And then he felt a punch to his gut when she asked him his size. She said she wanted to pick up something, casual like she wasn’t asking him something out of the ordinary.

He walked into his bedroom to look at himself in the full length mirror. Running a hand through his hair, he remembered just how self conscious he was about the way he looked. He hadn't seen Rey since he got back from Spain and he had let his facial hair grow out since he wasn't working. Annoyed at his own reflection he strode away.

He looked back to the clock. 9:39pm. Not even ten minutes had passed.

Ben wondered if he should tell her he has never done this before. She must have already known. She had been friends with him since he was 17.

Rey was of age now and this was something she wanted to do. How she even knew about such things was way beyond him. Maybe she learned about it on the internet. Maybe she had heard her friends talk about it. Ben had done research of his own, wanting to be prepared for their night together. After tonight they both wouldn't be virgins anymore. 

Ben buried his face in his hands. He was not sure he could do this, but he had promised her. He was as prepared as he was going to be. Ben could not bare it if the evening did not meet Rey's expectations. This was her 18th birthday gift. 

The doorbell rang and Ben jumped out of his skin. He stumbled his way to the door, flinging it open to see Rey standing there slyly.

“Hi, Ben.”

His heart stopped. She was wearing a pink mini dress and her hair was down. The sandal necklace he had gotten her was tucked into the top of the dress. She had put make up on, which she rarely did. His face was numb, his voice wouldn’t work. He stepped aside to let her in. Rey had never been in his house before and she scanned everything with mild interest.

“This is a nice place. I can’t believe this is the first time I have been here. Kinda impersonal, Ben.” Rey frowned. “I like the goatee you grew in. It looks really good on you. But you will have to shave it, for what I have planned for you.” She winked, then she cocked an eyebrow. Her body deflated. She must have noticed how tense he was because she said consolingly, “Ben if you don’t want to do this-”

“No, no,” Ben insisted. “I want to do this. It’s just, this is my first time.”

Rey beamed, her eyes dancing. “I kinda know that. This will be my first time too, but you already knew that." She blushed biting her bottom lip. "It’s okay.” She fiddled her fingers. "I'm nervous, but really excited."

Ben’s heart thumped. “Does anyone know about this? Did you tell Finn or your friend Jess?”

“Of course not. This is just between you and me. I promise. No one else has to know.”

"Good. That's good. If Han ever found out. I would never hear the end of it." Ben chuckled nervously. 

Rey lifted her chin up, to catch Ben’s eyes. She really was beautiful. And he loved her. In the depths of his being, and in the morrow of his very bones he felt it. 

“Now,” Rey coyly said. “Where is your bedroom?”

***

  
“Ow ow ow. That does not feel good. Is that really what that’s for?” Ben questioned.

“I mean I am pretty sure this is how you put a corset on, how hard can it be?” Rey huffed.

“Well, you aren’t the one who has to wear it,” Ben bellowed.

Rey tightened the strings and tied the back securely, “Oh calm down grumpy pants. We are almost done! I did most of the work anyway. At least your hair and make-up is done. And I must say that you look much better in fishnet stockings than me.”

“That is a bold face lie! This whole thing is ridiculous.” Pushing his lips forward he scowled. 

“Oh wait! You can’t be Frank-N-Furter without a feather boa!” Rey clapped her hands excitedly as she ran into the other room.

Ben was livid. This was a million times worse than he thought it was going to be. His fishnets were pulling in places that clothes should never pull on. The tiny black speedo he wore over them left very little to the imagination. Ben hoped Rey had kept a receipt for the corset because even though he gave her his card to pay for this get up, he was never wearing it again. Rey had teased out and sprayed his precious hair. The clip on pearl earnings poked out through his locks. The eye make-up Rey had applied weighed down his eyelids. His lipstick sat thick and slick. He itched to rub it all off.

Rey trotted back in and threw the feather boa at him.

“You dressed up as Janet, why couldn’t I have just dressed up as Brad?” Ben whined.

Rey put her white gloved hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. “What fun would that be?”

“I can’t believe they are still doing midnight showings of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ at the theater. You are too young to even know what this is.” Ben pulled up his sagging, black, elbow length gloves.

"A while back they did it on Glee, back when it was still on and Jess was really into it. We were at your house and Han saw what we were watching. He told us if we were going to watch a bunch of people singing and dancing that we should at least watch the originals not cheap imitations. So he put it on for us."

“He would.” Ben cursed his father’s name. Somehow it was all his fault he had a weggie and his ribs were being squeezed in something that was obviously a medieval torture device. “This is what you wanted?” He held his arms out, putting his large frame on display. “I would have bought you a car!”

Rey chortled. “Oh no, Benjamin. The look on your face is worth a 100 cars.”

Before Ben knew what was happening. Rey pulled out her phone and snapped a few pictures.

“Hey!” Ben protested as he held up his hands to block the camera.

“You are without a doubt the ugliest woman I have ever seen,” Rey laughed, holding her sides.

“Excuse me!” Ben argued. “But Frank-N-Furtur is a ‘Sweet Transvestite’ not a woman. That is politically incorrect, Rey.”

“He is an ALIEN from another planet, so are we being politically incorrect according to his planet? What’s the proper etiquette for that? I don’t know about you, Ben but I am not well versed in intergalactic politics.” She scrolled through her photos. “This is going to be my wallpaper.”

“You really want that as your background photo for your phone?” Ben gaffed, unbelieving, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

“You miss understand. I mean actual wallpaper. I plan on blowing up this baby and putting it up on my dorm room wall.” 

“You wouldn’t,” Ben said low and dark, squinting menacingly.

“Well you will just have to visit me at college and find out for sure,” Rey winked. “Come on, toots. I don’t want to be late. They are already going to yell 'virgins' at us because this our first time there. I don't want to be tarty on top of it."

Ben muttered curses under his breath, as he hobbled after Rey in his stiletto heels. They squeezed his feet and he knew he was going to have blisters by the end of the evening. He was getting more annoyed with each step.

Rey drove his car to the theater, because he was unable to work the pedals in heals. Her beat up car was too small for Ben's massive body. His legs stuck to the leather of his seats. Rey hummed under her breath looking serene. The tinted windows shielded Ben from any passers by from seeing him dressed as a 70s movie character.

"Ben, would you relax? I can hear your gears turning from here. No one we know will be there. This will be fun. I even bought props. I know you will enjoy it once you loosen up," She explained in a sing song way, without ever taking her eyes off the road. 

Rey's smile was so infectious, he could not help but melt and return her grin. He didn't doubt he would enjoy himself. He would have fun doing anything so long as Rey was there too. 

Pulling into the parking lot of the theater, Ben was surprised to see a decent sized group gathered at the front box office. To his relief, everyone there was in costume. He wasn't even the only person over 6 feet. Someone else's head poked out above the crowd. 

Rey parked and she practically skipped to the box office, grabbing his hand. She squeezed encouragingly. They both wore gloves and Ben wished he could feel the warmth of her palm against his. 

They stood at the end of the line and Ben rearranged his boa as Rey spied the people waiting to enter. The night was balmy, so people in varying stages of undress looked comfortable. 

"I love your costume." He noticed she was speaking warmly to the patron right in front of her in line. They were the only person as tall as Ben and he was shocked to see it was a very tall leggy woman dressed as magenta when she turned around.

Ben paled at seeing her face. "Phasma?" 

"Ben?" She asked, her eyes going wide. 

"Ben?" Inquired another nasal, recognizable voice. 

Hux stepped out from behind Phasma. Ben's jaw almost hit the pavement. Hux stood in tiny, metallic, gold spandex shorts. His pasty body had been spray tanned and he had gold shoes on his feet and nothing else. 

"That does it!" Hux stomped a foot in frustration. "I am getting a restraining order against the both of you!" He pointed between Rey and himself. 

"When you said you had a social life I had no idea this is what you meant!" Ben mocked.

"Hey! Calm down guys!" Rey stuck herself between the two men before they could get into any type of physical altercation. 

"Did you know about this, Rey?" Ben asked, hurt that this was some kind of prank. 

"Hux! I honestly had no idea you were going to be here. And Ben I would have never brought you if I knew Hux went to this. I promise." Rey looked worried and he could hear the regret in her voice. "I really just was looking forward to tonight. We will leave."

Seeing her so disappointed sickened Ben. "No Rey, this is what you wanted as your 18th birthday gift and we aren't leaving."

"This is what you wanted to do as your 18th birthday gift?" Phasma asked Rey surprised. She turned to Hux pressing his lips and the veins in his neck strained. "Come on Hux. This is her first time and it looks like she was excited to be here. They are both all dressed up. Maybe you boys can put aside your animosity for one evening? Hm?" Her accent was posh and her voice smooth.

Hux crossed his arms. "Ok fine. One night, only for Rocky Horror!" He turned his back on both of them with his nose in the air. 

Ben's expression soured, but he said nothing, not wanting to spoil this for Rey. 

"Don't mind him." Phasma waved her hand away at Hux. "I'm Phasma. You must be Rey. Believe it or not but I have heard all about you." 

Rey giggled, "If you heard it from Hux than I doubt they were good things."

Phasma laughed and it sounded musical. "Nothing Hux ever says about anyone is good. We have been dating for years and I am fairly certain he doesn't know how to say complimentary things so he doesn't mention me at all."

Even in high school Ben knew Phasma and Hux dated, but they were never affectionate, so he wondered if it was all just a rumor. 

"Honestly, beside me, I think you two are his only friends."

"Friends?!" Rey and Ben said at the same time. 

Phasma nodded, "Armie just loves to complain and you have given him plenty of material." 

"Are you all just going to stand out here all night? They are letting people in now," Hux belittled. And Ben wanted nothing more than to punch his stupid mouth. 

Phasma smiled good natured. "Don't get your little gold panties all up in a bunch, Armie, we are coming." She turned back to Rey and Ben. "You can sit with us so at least you know other people."

Before Ben could tell her that it was a kind offer but they would decline, Rey already answered, "Yes we would love that!"

As much as he wanted to fight and protest, this was Rey's night. If she really wanted to sit with them then he would quietly comply.

They walked into the last room all the way at the end of the row of theaters. Ben noted that it looked a little different than a regular screen room.

Phasma must have noticed Ben's quizzical face because she answered, "This cineplex has this one specifically set up for midnight showings of 'Rocky'. They have been doing it for years. This is the most popular spot in the area for it. It's every last Friday and Saturday of the month at midnight. Diehards like Armie and me come every time."

Someone dressed as Riff Raff stood on the small stage in front of the screen welcoming everyone and then they forced the newbies to come up on stage. Ben and Rey we're not the only ones. They stood there as the rest of the crowd shouted "virgins". Ben turned beet red, while Rey curtsied. Some people whistled and cat called.

It was a short process and they were able to take their seats almost immediately.

Ben didn't want to admit it but the night was quite fun. Rey had some props in the little purse she had on her shoulder, throwing rice and such. They yelled out lines. Ben declined to go up front to sing "Sweet Transvestite" however. During the Time Warp number, people got up on the stage and danced. He was surprised to see even Hux loosening up, dancing and smiling. Ben had not known that was possible, and wondered if hell had frozen over.

The only awkward part of the night was when Rey went up front with all the other Janets and all the other Rockys to sing "Touch-a Touch-a Touch me", and some random Rocky was dancing a little too close to her. Ben was about to storm the stage when Hux violently hip checked the guy away from her, strong enough he almost fell off the side of the platform.

By the end of the night the four of them were getting along much better than Ben had ever expected.

"I had a blast with you two. I do hope you come to one of these again," Phasma invited, her face bright with amusement.

"Well," Hux added. "I do have to say I didn't hate it. If this happened again, I don't think I would mind that much." He shrugged nonchalant.

Phasma snickered, "That's the same thing he said to me the first time we kissed."

Rey snorted and Hux threw Phasma a glare.

They said good night to Hux and Phasma. Rey drove back to Ben's house and they talked the whole way back about what they liked and what they didn't and other people's costumes.

It was 2 a.m. and Ben was ready to go to bed. The minute they stepped into his living room he kicked off his shoes. He loosened his corset throwing it down on the floor. Ben was usually very neat, but wanted out of this outfit as soon as possible. Rey collapsed onto his couch with a heavy sigh. 

"I guess you are heading back to my parent's house tonight, or are you going back to Plutt?" Ben said the man's name like it was a curse. He walked the short hall to the master bedroom and pulled off the rest of his clothes, and slipped into an old t-shirt and sweat pants. He pulled off his earrings as he walked back into his living room.

"I'm 18 now, Ben." Rey said as if it should be obvious. "I left that dump the minute I was no longer a minor. I have been staying with your parents, but I can't stay there forever. I have been working two full time jobs so I can save up to live on my own. When school starts, I have a full scholarship and dorm to stay in." Rey tapped her feet on the floor while slouching into the cushions. 

Ben frowned. He should have known that. What kind of friend was he that he hadn't known she was no longer under Plutt's thumb? Ben wanted to tell her that she could just stay at his parent's house. They were never home anyway. It would almost be like she were living on her own. He didn't say anything however, because he knew exactly what she would say. That she was an adult, that she could take care of her self, that she didn't need hand outs. etc etc. etc. From the glare she gave him and the determined set of her jaw, she knew what he was thinking and she wasn't happy about it. 

Pushing up from the sofa, Rey straightened out her dress. "I should head back to your parent's house."

"Ok," Ben mumbled, trying his best to keep himself from begging Rey to just move in with Han and Leia permanently. He hated the idea of her being on her own. He hated that he could not do more for her because she wouldn't allow it. He walked her to the door, his mind still spinning with all the ways he might convince her to take some help. Any help. 

Rey pirouetted back around to face Ben. “Oh, before I leave. I forgot one more thing.”

“What did you-”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Rey threw her arms around his neck to bow him down while she stretched up. Soft warm lips met his and his brain short circuited. He forgot everything else, even to breath. He couldn’t move a muscle. It was like the Earth had tilted on it's axis. Ben thought he was going to spontaneously combust with every happy emotion ever felt by a human being. When Rey pulled away, his body stayed locked in place. He blinked stupidly down at her heavily lidded eyes.

“That was really what I wanted for my 18th birthday,” She whispered.

Ben's heart pounded and he didn’t even allow himself to think, and he just acted, closing the space between them again. He ignored the nagging little voices that asked, what this meant for their friendship, how long had she wanted to do this, how long had HE wanted to do this? His soul stirred as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. It was languid and gentle, but overflowing with adoration. His hands slid up her back, cherishing the feel of her delicate body pressed against himself. Their shared kiss was earth shattering, life changing. Ben Solo knew he would never be the same after this. If he had thought he was devoted to her before, it was nothing compared to the unbreakable bond he felt for her now.

He ended their kiss, with his eyes still closed. Their breaths were heavy and he could feel the thump of Rey’s heart against his own chest. He felt dazed, euphoric.

Rey snorted before bursting out into peals of laughter. Ben’s good spirits sank like a rock. Was she mocking him? Had he done it all wrong?

His eyes snapped open and upon seeing her face all smudged in black lipstick he snickered too. In the moment he had forgotten all together that he still had the make-up Rey had put on him. She looked like she had five o’clock shadow. His joy spurned her on, causing her to crack up.

“I wasn't expecting that," Rey blushed. "Well I can’t go out like this. If your parents wake up they are going to see smudged lipstick all over my face and know what I was up to,” Rey advised.

Ben put a hand under her chin, “It's okay. Tell them. I don't care. I want them to know. So everyone knows you are mine.”

Rey shivered at something she saw in his eyes.

“Do you mean that?” Rey asked.

“Yes, I do. How long have you wanted to do that?” Ben leaned in leaving soft kisses on her temple, her brow, every single one of her freckles. He didn’t ever see getting sick of doing this.

“Benjamin Chewbacca Solo,” Rey simpered. “I have loved you the moment I saw you punch Hux in the face for me.”

Delight bloomed inside him. “I would punch Hux for you any time.”

“How romantic.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Ben, you are distracting me,” Rey playfully complained.

 

“You were being distracting first,” Ben defended.

 

He nuzzled her neck and buried his nose into her hair. The small living room let in plenty of natural light on the mild summer day. He tightened his arms around Rey who perched on his lap. The suede couch he sat on was oversized and very comfortable. It was the perfect spot for their weekend afternoons together. His hand ran through her gown out hair, and she made a happy satisfied hum.

 

“No one should be as stunning as you, in just a t-shirt and old yoga pants.” He hunched down a bit to kiss her temple, her jaw.

 

“I am trying to study,” Rey pouted without any real annoyance.

 

“Your classes don’t even start for another two weeks,” Ben reasoned, huffing in exasperation.

 

“I know, but I want to read the textbooks BEFORE, classes, to be prepared.”

 

Ben’s chest expanded with adoration at his hardworking, intelligent, beautiful wife. “I don’t think I was ever as diligent with studying as you,” Ben complimented.

 

“Ha! It’s because you are a genius. You didn’t need to study.”

 

Ben couldn’t argue. He wouldn’t say he was a genius, he just absorbed things faster.

 

She rested her head on the crook of his neck, holding the heavy book in her hands, reading the fine print. Rey took a deep breath and squirmed content in his embrace. Ben could not have been happier.

 

This had been the best two months of his life. A year ago they had their first kiss after the Rocky Horror Picture Show midnight screening. As thrilled as they both were to start a new chapter in their relationship, they both knew that the timing was bad. She would be going to her first year of college and even though it pained him, they decided to wait to start dating. Rey was fiercely independent and she wanted to be able to stand on her own. She would be meeting new people, making new friends, living on her own for the first time. He didn’t want to hold her back with a relationship and he knew she needed this, to be in complete control in all the aspects of her life.

 

He also finally agreed to work in the finance department of his father’s expanding auto repair shop corporation. He would be concentrating on learning a new job and getting his bearings. Rey herself worked part time in one of Han’s shops and she pretty much ran the place. If what they had was real they could wait a year. Ben wallowed in misery for a long 10 months wondering if she would change her mind. He worried a young, charming man would sweep her off her feet. She could have decided she wanted to live back overseas. Of course they still stayed best friends, but the times they saw each other he yearned to hold her, to kiss her again. Not that they saw each other as much as they liked. She went to school full time and had an almost full time job. It was so much more painful than he could have imagined, being right next to her, close enough to reach out and touch her, and he couldn’t.

 

Once the school year was over she admitted how lonely she was and she didn’t regret waiting to be together for the past year, but she would not let it continue a minute longer. She said that since she was 9 years old there was no question she wanted him and only him. Even if she had not known since she was 9, the last year more than convinced her she could never fall in love with anyone else.

 

They dated secretly for a month because they wanted to hold off on telling his parents because of the relentless opinions they would be subjected to. They were so blissful, they decided to elope. They were eating dinner, then before he knew it, they were making plans to drive to Connecticut the very next day to get married. They didn’t need a blood test there, and you could get a marriage license and wed the same day. They drove back to his house giddy and overflowing with love for one another. He carried her over the threshold and to his bedroom, and they made love for the very first time. She moved right from her dorm to his house.

 

Ben called out sick from work the first week they were married and they didn’t leave his house. They hardly left the bedroom. A month after being married and he still could not get enough of her. He had thought he knew everything about Rey but he found out there were so many more little things to learn. Like how she talked in her sleep and hogged the covers. Like how she preferred to take baths in the evening and read in the tub. Like how she didn’t like to waste anything, even going so far as to save the Chinese food containers as Tupperware. Or how she liked her towels folded, in thirds.

 

His house had been a bit impersonal before, because he was hardly home. Looking around his house now was a different story. Evidence of their co-habitation were everywhere. There was something amazing about having their things together in the same space that warmed his heart. Rey’s shoes were strewn at the door beside his neatly lined ones. Her bra was slung over the back of the couch. The dishes in the sink over flowed, speaking of more than one person dirtying flatware. Cartons of ice cream stuffed the garbage can. Their books lined the shelves. A scented candle Ben would have never put out if he lived on his own, sat in the middle of his coffee table. Some plush throw pillows had been placed on the dining room chairs. Her tea was stored in the cupboard beside his k-cups. Tiny green plants in small pots lined the window sills. The curtains had playful patterns with cheery colors.

 

Ben admired the silver band on his finger matching hers. He only took it off at work, and he would lament its absence.

 

Rey must have noticed him looking at their hands because she asked, “When do you think we should start telling people we are married? I am sure Hux and Phasma would be happy for us. I feel a little bad not telling them all this time, but I like that this is just between the two of us. It’s so romantic.”

 

Ben frowned. They had both inexplicably became close to Phasma and Hux over the last year. Phasma and Rey had got along very well, and Ben learned to deal with Hux. Their relationship mirrored that of high school girl frienemies. They argued, insulted and remained competitive with each other, but in a twisted way they both enjoyed it, almost as though it was a game.

 

“Me too. This has been great,” Ben admitted. “Let’s give it two more weeks. Once the summer ends and you are back at school you won’t be dorming and we can let people know why.” Ben especially liked not having to tell his judgmental, controlling mother, and father who loved to knock him down a peg.

 

The doorbell rang.

 

Both of them startled.

 

“Ben?” He heard his mother say through the door. “I saw your car outside and we thought we would stop by.”

 

Ben swore under his breath as both he and Rey scrambled off the couch.

 

“We can’t let them find out like this! It would kill your mother,” Rey hissed. She plucked her bra off the couch and piled up her books in her arms.

 

Ben frantically threw her shoes under the couch. He removed the scented candle and shoved it in the coffee table drawer. “Get in the bedroom and lock the door! It’s not like they will be going in there.”

 

“How long do you think they are going to stay?”

 

“There is no telling with my mother. It could be a few minutes or she could tell me every detail of her new charity ball and be here hours,” Ben reasoned, his hair flopping about as he moved, trying to hide Rey’s things.

 

“I am not going to stay locked up for hours in there!” Rey huffed. “What if I have to use the bathroom?”

 

“I will try to get rid of them as soon as I can! But in case of an emergency, you can always go out the window!” Ben panicked.

 

“Out the window!? Ben, I am not –“

 

“Ben? Is that you? I can hear you. Do you have the tv on?” His mother said on the other side of the door. She rang the bell again. In her later years his mother had become smothering and overbearing.

 

“Yeah mom! Sorry! I am coming!” Ben pushed Rey down the hall and as he closed the door in her fuming face, he knew he was going to be in major trouble later.

 

Walking over to the front door, he grabbed the handle and realized he still had his ring on. He pulled it off, placing it into his sweat pants pocket.

 

He opened the door to his mother, looking almost as annoyed as Rey had a few minutes ago. His father stood right behind her, looking like he would rather be in a bar than visiting his son.

 

“Hi guys!” Ben said a little too brightly. “What brings you by?”

 

“Oh we were just on our way back from spending the weekend at Lando’s and thought we would stop in. We haven’t been here since last summer and I wanted to see if you had finally done something to the place.” Both of his parents stopped short, their attentions going from the colorful drapery to the tiny plants and the floral table cloth on his dining room table. Ben felt the back of his neck prickle. “You certainly went in a different direction than I expected.”

 

Ben laughed nervously, “Yeah, um Rey said she would help me decorate, and she got a little carried away.”

 

“That’s a relief. I thought you finally lost your mind,” Han answered plopping on to his couch and taking his remote. He turned the channel to some baseball game. “Me and Lando got a bet going. I want to check the score.”

 

“When do you and Lando, not have a bet going on?” Leia asked perturbed. “Well, Ben. Aren’t you going to offer us some refreshments? We have been driving for hours and is Rey here?”

 

Ben barked an unnatural laugh as he felt sweat gathering on his forehead, “Why would Rey be here?”

 

Leia leveled him with a piercing stare, then answered stilted, “That’s strange, I thought I saw her car parked outside.”

 

“Oh that!” Ben bumbled. “She just wanted to park her car some place safe while her and Finn went upstate this weekend to visit Rose and Jessica.”

 

“Did she?” Leia asked delighted. “Do you think it is finally happening? You know, her and Finn? They are going away together for a weekend.”

 

Ben grit his teeth. The idea of her with anyone else… “Well it isn’t like they are going alone. They are going to visit other friends.”

 

“Oh please! I bet that is just an excuse so you won’t get all over protective,” Leia chuckled, her eyes bright with mischief. “I wonder if it has been going on for a while? I wonder why they are keeping it a secret?”

 

Ben’s annoyance was sky rocketing. Through hardly contained anger, he asked, “Would you like coffee or tea?” Trying to change the subject not wanting to imagine HIS Rey with Finn.

 

“Coffee,” His mother answered a bit surprised. “You have tea?”

 

“Only a few packets for when Rey comes over,” Ben fabricated.

 

“I will take it black.”

 

His father cheered from his seat and the crowd on tv roared. “That’s what I am talking about!” Han threw up his hands in victory. “Hey Kid, where can I take a leak?”

 

Ben walked over to his cabinets to get a k-cup and smiled to himself seeing his nice designer black mugs next to Rey’s few chipped ones with silly phrases. He took a black one and yelled over his shoulder, “The bathroom is to the left and it is the first door on the right.”

 

The mug filled and the machine sputtered. Ben turned to his mother crossing her legs and sitting elegantly at the dining room table. Ben’s mind raced with ways he could get his parents out of his house before they discovered Rey in their bedroom.

 

“Oh Benjamin?” They heard Han call from the short hallway. He strut out from the bathroom with a sly smirk, like the cat that caught the canary. “Mind explaining this?” Han lifted his hand and hanging on his pointer finger was a small piece of fabric. Ben blanched, nearly having a stroke when he recognized Rey’s underwear. “I found this in the bathroom, hanging on the shower curtain pole.”

 

In three long strides Ben was across the kitchen and swiping the article of clothing from his father.

 

His mother looked like she was about to faint, swaying in her chair. She looked at the table cloth again, the little plants, everything that she had spotted when she first came in. Then something clicked into place for her. “Ben?” she said low and deadly. “Are you living here with a woman?”

 

“That, or our boy likes to cross dress.” Han boomed. A memory of the Rocky Horror Picture Show incident flashed in Ben’s mind. “I have to say that I am relieved! I was starting to worry that you took a vow of celibacy like your uncle Luke. We would never get grandkids then!” Han slapped him hard on the back and Ben wanted to explode.

 

“Benjamin I thought I taught you better than to shack up with some trollop! You have to court a girl. Take her out, buy her flowers, date, get married THEN move in together!" His mother sprang to her feet.

 

“Hey she isn’t a trollop!” Ben defended.

 

“Does she know who you are? Is she after your money?” Leia demanded, slamming her hands down.

 

“She sure as hell isn’t with him for his good looks,” Han snarked.

 

“Shut up, Dad!” Ben growled. “I love her, and she loves me!”

 

“Of course she would say that,” Leia shouted, holding her head. “Where did you even meet her? Is it one of Han’s racer groupie girls that hang around the garages?”

 

“Nice job, son! Is it Charleen or Erika? Oh, maybe it’s that redhead who has been coming into the shop on Smithson every week to get her oil changed! Bet you are giving her regular tune ups,” Han winked. His father had never looked more proud of him and he had never been more appalled with his Dad.

 

“DAD!”

 

“HAN!”

 

Ben felt something snap. It was like an egg timer finally went off inside him, “It’s not some trollop red head! It’s Rey!”

 

The second the words left his mouth he knew it was a terrible mistake. The room became so quiet he could hear a pin drop.

 

No one said anything for a long time, then Han spoke, “Well that’s 500 bucks I owe Lando. You couldn’t keep it in your pants two more years? I said that there was no way she was sleeping with you until she was 21 because she would have to be black out drunk. You do know she is way too good-looking for you, right?”

 

“Rey?” Leia asked frighteningly calm. “Like as in little Rey you have known since you were 17? Rey, the girl you grew up with like a sister? Rey, who is barely 19? Really Ben? I knew that you adored her but not like THAT. Did you even take her on a date or did you pounce as soon as she turned 18?”

 

Ben was ice cold. So this is what his parents really thought of him? His dad thought Rey wouldn’t be interested in him unless she was incoherent. And his mom saw him as a predator. Mentally he counted down from 10, trying to calm down. He took a deep breath wanting to be level headed enough to choose his words wisely. 

 

"That does it! I have heard enough!" Rey screamed from the short hall, slamming their bedroom door behind her. She charged into the kitchen stomping her feet.

Ben had never seen Rey so livid, her hair in a messy bun. She was still wearing a ratty t-shirt and paint streaked yoga pants. He really liked seeing her in those pants, but at the moment was petrified in terror. 

His parents could not look more shell shocked at her, storming out of his room, wearing clothes so casual, only someone who lived there would have on. 

"First of all, Han!" Rey said, hands on her waist and leaning forward at the hips. "That is seriously messed up that you were taking bets on your son's sex life. Especially when it involved me."

Han looked disgruntled and ashamed which he should have been. Shifting on his feet he crossed his arms, pouting. 

"And by the way! Ben is sexy as hell!" Rey declared.

At this Ben felt equal parts embarrassed and turned on. 

"I mean, look at him! What girl in her right mind wouldn't want that? His hair is more beautiful than mine and so are his eyes! And have you seen him with his shirt off?" Rey was gesturing at Ben with flapping hands. "Because that's - if you could - he's just so - how could anyone be - you don't even-" Rey stuttered turning bright red. "I can't even find words to finish a sentence just thinking about it!"

Han rolled his eyes, and grumbled something about them being way too sensitive.

"And Leia!" Rey yelled. 

At this Ben wanted to dive back behind the couch. Rey and his mother having an all out cat fight would take down his house. He held his breath. 

"As much as I can understand you wanting your son to be respectful of women and how bad this looks, you should know that he is not some pervert who was stalking a teenage girl! How could you even think that way about him?" Rey inquired, hurt. "He was always so respectful that he had no idea I was practically throwing myself at him since 16."

"Wait, you were throwing yourself at me?" Ben blinked stupidly.

"Oh my goodness! Yes, Ben. You never found it a little odd that I always asked for your help reaching the cups on the very top shelf when I could have easily taken one on the lower shelf?"

Ben felt like an idiot and mumbled, "I just thought you liked those fancy cups better." His cheeks turned pink. "Wait I minute! You would always tell me you didn't think the furnace was working properly and you needed to huddle up next to me because the house was too cold. Did you plan that?!"

"I really do love you," Rey said patting his jaw in a patronizing way. 

She turned back to Leia. "I even had to kiss him for the first time when I was 18." 

Han snickered. 

"He has never taken advantage of me and we didn't have sex until-" Rey stopped.

Ben took her tiny calloused hand in his. Her wide hazel eyes were filled with so much affection. They looked at each other and knew it was time to tell them. She nodded.

"Until our wedding night," Ben finished. He plucked his wedding ring out of his pocket and Rey helped slip it back into place. "Mom, Dad. I want to officially introduce you to my wife. Rey Solo." 

He turned his attention back to his mother with tears of joy and surprise rolling down her face. Her hands were pressed against her chest. She didn't say a word, she only moved forward to wrap Rey in her arms. After a moment she said, "I always wanted a daughter." 

Rey's voice sounded thick as she laughed and she began to cry too. 

Ben's heart broke in the best of ways. In the way that when it is so full, it bursts. His vision began to blur watching the scene before him. 

Han sniffed and cleared his throat, obviously trying to hold back his swelling emotions. 

"Welcome to the family kid, officially," Han's voice graveled, and he threw his arms around both Rey and his wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie. I cried while writing the end of this.


End file.
